The present invention relates generally to the field of firearm sighting devices, and in particular to a flip-up aiming sight having a two-toned colored lens as the primary aiming component.
Traditional open sights use a static mechanical (non-electrical) configuration to aid a shooter in acquiring a correct sight picture. A sight picture is the orientation of a gun sight to a target. A correct sight picture combines sight alignment with the point of aim. Traditional open sights are comprised of an open, unmagnified system used to assist in aiming a firearm. The classic, traditional open sight system is comprised of a rear sight mounted vertically transverse to the line of sight, said rear sight consisting of some form of notch or aperture. The classic open sight is further comprised of front sight comprised of a post, bead or ring. On many firearms, the rear sight is adjustable for windage and/or elevation. When aiming, the front sight is brought to the central part of the notch or aperture, preferably the middle, for lateral aiming, and at the same height as the rear sight for vertical aiming.
Open sights are often enhanced for low-light situations with a three-dot system. A distinctive white dot (or other colors if preferred) is added to the front sight and on either side of the rear sight notch. When properly aimed, the sight picture appears as three white dots aligned on a horizontal plane.
The main limitation with traditional open sights is the difficulty the human eye has in focusing simultaneously on three separate objects, i.e., rear sight, front sight, and target. It is difficult to align the front post in the center of the notch with equal distance on either side of the front post, while simultaneously aligning the top of the front post level with the top of the rear notch sight. From a strictly physiological standpoint, the human eye cannot focus simultaneously on more than one object at a time. Due to the juxtaposition of the weapon being closer to the eye than the target, the eye will focus either on the rear sight making the front sight and the target a blur, or on the front sight making the rear sight and the target a blur, or on the target making the two gun sights a blur.
Compounding the sighting problem with open sights are two conditions known as “sympathetic nervous system” (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system” (PNS). SNS is the involuntary reflective response that the human body experiences when the brain perceives either a life-threatening situation or a person is suddenly startled. This is an involuntary physiological response to external stimuli. SNS is also known as the “fight or flight” reflex. Under SNS the body does a “mass discharge” of hormones that helps prepare the body to defend or flee (fight or flight response). The immediate physical changes the body undergoes is simply the body preparing to defend itself from a threat or to take flight and avoid the threat if possible. The mass discharge of hormones includes an increase in arterial pressure and blood flow to the large muscle groups (to enhance gross motor skills and strength), vasoconstriction of minor blood vessels in the extremities, pupil dilation, cessation of the digestive process, and muscle tremors. Once the threat is eliminated, the body returns to its normal state, which is governed by the parasympathetic nervous system. PNS is normally in control of the body in the absence of any threat stimulus, i.e., a non-stressful environment. Fine and complex motor skills are exhibited; full peripheral vision is possible; and heart rate and blood are at their normal state. Gross motor skills are those actions by large or major muscle groups involving strength and simple symmetrical movements such as punching, swinging a club, kicking a ball, etc. Fine motor skills employ hand/eye coordination and hand dexterity such as aiming/firing a weapon, working with tools, typing on a keyboard, etc. Complex motor skills make use of a series of muscle groups that require hand/eye coordination, precision movements, tracking and timing. In shooting, complex motor skills require a series of movements and muscle groups to focus on the target while sighting the weapon.
SNS impacts the brain in the areas of motor skills, sensing perception (in particular, impaired vision), and mental processes. With respect to vision impairment, there are three areas that are affected: reduced peripheral vision, distance-only eyesight, and forced binocular vision. Reduced peripheral vision is caused by restricted blood flow to the eyes and muscle contractions. The eye lens tends to flatten, thus reducing depth perception resulting in the effect known as “tunnel vision.” SNS causes the body and eyes to focus on the source of a threat and ignore near objects. Near objects are almost impossible to discern resulting in distance-only eyesight. Forced binocular vision is caused by the body naturally squaring off to face a threat. Eyes open wide to admit as much light as possible to help the body discern the nature of the threat and how to react to it
Shooters who are familiar with or professionally trained in handling firearms know it is difficult to place shots consistently and accurately on target under stress-free or controlled, non-threatening situations, e.g., target practice. However, when the brain perceives a life-threatening situation and SNS activates within the body, the physical effects of the “mass release” of hormones directly impact the shooter's ability to deliberately focus on the target and fire the weapon.
In conducting tests of trained police officers, Burroughs (1997) found that 59% reported not actually “seeing” or using their sights that involved high stress (SNS) scenarios, but focused almost exclusively on the threat/target itself. Additional studies have shown that the effects of SNS impairs hearing (auditory exclusion) and peripheral vision (tunnel vision).
That trained officers, when confronting life-threatening situations, revert to the basic instincts of “fight or flight” further strengthens the argument that traditional gun sights are marginally functional in those situations. Therefore, there remains the need for a simple, reflexive gun sight that takes advantage of a human's instinctive reactions, such as forced binocular vision, where the shooter is focused solely on the threat/target. It is also desirable, to provide an aiming system that facilitates the ease, speed and accuracy with which a shooter aligns his weapon on a target thereby meeting the need to get on target fast and accurately.
The present invention proposes a color-activated gun sight (as opposed to geometrically aligned gun sights) to meet this need. The present invention will aid the shooter in acquiring a correct sight picture and accurate shot placement even in high stress situations without taking one's eyes off the threat itself.